My American Uncle movie storyline. Prof. Henri Laborit uses the stories of the lives of three people to discuss behaviorist theories of survival, combat, rewards and punishment, and anxiety. René is a technical manager at a textile factory and must face the anxiety caused by corporate downsizing. Janine is a self-educated actress/stylist who learns that the wife of her lover is dying and must decide to let them reunite. Jean is a controversial career-climbing writer/politician at a crossroads in life.
My American Uncle (French: Mon oncle d’Amérique) is a 1980 French film directed by Alain Resnais. The film stars Gérard Depardieu, Nicole Garcia and Roger Pierre. The film won the Grand Prix and the FIPRESCI prizes at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival. Henri Laborit and Jean Gruault’s screenplay was nominated at the 53rd Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay.
About the Story
The didactic film is built around the ideas of French physician, writer and philosopher Henri Laborit, who plays himself in the film. It uses the stories of three people to illustrate Laborit’s theories on evolutionary psychology regarding the relationship of self and society.
René leaves the family farm to become an executive at a French textile firm. Janine leaves her proletarian family behind to become an actress who becomes involved with Jean, a well-educated bourgeois writer/politician. All three characters face difficult choices in life-changing situations that are designed to illuminate Laborit’s ideas.
My American Uncle (1980)
Directed by: Alain Resnais
Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Nicole Garcia, Roger Pierre, Nelly Borgeaud, Pierre Arditi, Gérard Darrieu, Marie Dubois, Philippe Laudenbach
Screenplay by: Jean Gruault
Production Design by: Jacques Saulnier
Cinematography by: Sacha Vierny
Film Editing by: Albert Jurgenson
Costume Design by: Catherine Leterrier
Set Decoration by: Philippe Turlure
Music by: Arié Dzierlatka
Distributed by: Gaumont
Release Date: May 21, 1980
Visits: 122
